# False PayPal Message ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-paypal-message/181126>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 11, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-paypal-message/181126 "2003-06-11T15:54:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-paypal-message/181126/1 "2003-06-11T15:54:27Z")

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I received an e-mail today that purported to be from PayPal. It asked me for my password , credit card number and for my ATM PIN. The e-mail was sent to an account which I have never used for a PayPal transaction. Is this a scam and an attempt by someone to get my credit card and bank details?. I have reported this matter to Paypal. Has any one else received this e-mail, and is it attemted fraud?

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-paypal-message/181126/2 "2003-06-11T15:58:27Z")

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Yeah, it’s fake. There’s a MPSIMS thread about this too. Report them to the real PayPal.

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**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-paypal-message/181126/3 "2003-06-11T16:02:54Z")

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This is totally fake–I’ve gotten these for ebay, too, and when I went to ebay’s site their were posts in the users message board that exposed it as a scam. They look so legit on the surface, too! Makes you wonder how many people fall for it.

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**Author:** ![Ill\_Logik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Ill\_Logik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ill_Logik)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-paypal-message/181126/4 "2003-06-11T16:17:03Z")

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I get this a lot too. My version asks for my “Name #.” Geniuses, these guys… Lemme tell ya.

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**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/false-paypal-message/181126/5 "2003-06-11T17:38:53Z")

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Thanks for the answers. As well as roporting this to PayPal I have also forwarded the e-mail to SpamCop